First flights !! . . . and first crash !!

First flights !! . . . and first crash !!, originally uploaded by powerlord_tvr.

Was supposed to be doing my static jump today, but low cloud closed the DZ

(drop zone) for the day.

However it was ideal conditions for a paramotor. . .

so down at the beach, just like wilbur and his bro 100 years ago, I did a

reverse launch and shot up into the air ! My first flight was about 15

minutes: down the coast, turning, going back over the sea with Robin

island on my right, and then coming down for a reasonably decent landing,

though I didnt stay on my feet.




10 mins later I had another flight under my belt !



It was time to do a forward launch for next flight as the wind had fallen to

zero: in conditions like this you have to face away from the glider, pull

it up and while pulling, run like feck... oh yeh.. and remember you have

30kg of motor on your back. . and at some time along your run when it is

flat and smooth, you need to build up to 100% power on the motor on your

back. . .



all went well at first, then I made a rooky mistake: once i felt the motor

begin to take my weight rather than continuing to run and keep the power

on, I lifted my legs up . . .



this was not good.



basically it does not have enough lift to get you up at this stage, so all

that happens when you lift your legs, is that the ground comes up to meet

them !



I knew I was fecked at this point, but tried to save it by getting on the

brakes... it didnt work and by this time (only 2 secs start to finish) I

had lost reach of the engine cut off.



So I hit the ground sideways, fell back with the engine still running and

the prop still turning...



$&**(!. and I was on the ground with smashed prop everywhere as the prop

had dug into the ground and cage !



Anyhoo, such is life. Luckily he had a spare prop, so on with another 250

quid of prop and back on the horse!



I managed to get up next time on a forward launch, and finished with 2 more

flights, the last one being about 45 mins long.



So all in all a good day. Tomorrow is still up in the air (hahahahaha). .

could be sky diving or paramotor depending on weather.



have to say, its fair knackering me out running around all day in the heat.

. been having a wee siesta in the afternoon. . . sitting at a desk 9 hours

a day doesnt really prepare you for this sort of activity. . .

most folk here are cycling, jogging, kite surfing, etc. . . all superfit.

never been in a country where the average person is so fit